This video explores Ferrari's first all-electric car, the "Luce," designed in collaboration with Apple legend Jony Ive and Ferrari Chief Designer Flavio Manzoni. It delves into the controversial decision to create an electric Ferrari, its innovative design features, the challenges of translating the brand's essence into an electric vehicle, and the broader implications for the automotive industry and consumers.
Flavio Manzoni stated that the primary reason for Ferrari's historical reluctance to embrace electric cars was the context of the time. In 2011, when the CEO said "You will never see an electric Ferrari," the most popular electric car was the Nissan Leaf, Tesla had not yet launched the Model S, and electric cars represented a negligible share of the global automotive market.
According to Jony Ive, the main challenge in designing the electric Ferrari interior was the assumption that because the power source is electric, the interface should be digital, which he felt was a "huge leap" and presumptuous. This contrasted with smartphone design, where touchscreens are integral, because in a car, especially a Ferrari, the experience of ignition is signaled by sound and vibration, and the focus is on the driver's connection to the machine. He aimed to preserve this visceral connection, avoiding solely digital interfaces and instead incorporating tactile elements like buttons and dials.
The design of the Ferrari Luce's interior differs from the typical approach taken by other car companies in that it emphasizes tactile interaction and physical controls rather than a purely digital interface. While many companies are moving towards fewer screens and more touch-based interactions, Jony Ive and his team focused on incorporating a variety of physical elements like handles, palm rests, toggle switches, and rotary dials. This approach is rooted in the belief that users value authenticity and that a mix of physical and digital elements can create a more joyful, enabling, and elevating connection to the technology. The design avoids "deja vu" and aims for a unique experience, integrating functionality with the physical feel of materials.
Flavio Manzoni did not compare the design process of the Ferrari Luce to a capsule collection. Instead, when asked if the Luce should be seen as the future of Ferrari, he explained that Ferrari's approach is not to use design features from one car for another, avoiding the "deja vu effect." He clarified that their identity is based on more profound aspects and that they prefer to keep each car with a specific identity, contrasting this with the idea of a capsule collection which might be seen as a safer, experimental space.
